Tarps and scaffolding on the front of La Esquina Market may give the appearance that the store is closed.

“But we’re still here. We still have everything. We’re still open for business,” said Elizabeth Chavez, whose family owns the market, located at the corner of East Main Street and Middle Tennessee Boulevard.

The front door that faces Middle Tennessee is blocked off, so customers have to enter a side door that faces Main Street.

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La Esquina Market, 1156 E. Main St. in downtown Murfreesboro, was damaged when a driver plowed into the building months ago.(Photo: Nancy DeGennaro/DNJ)

The market was damaged three months ago when a driver plowed through the front of the building.

“It was the middle of the day and we heard this big bang,” Chavez recalled.
Two front windows were blown out and the wreck also damaged the integrity of the structure itself.

Insurance helped with repairs, she said.

“They are knocking down the brick and they are having to replace it and they are putting the windows back,” Chavez said.

Chavez said she expects the building renovation to be complete within the next two weeks.

Even with the construction, daily hours for the market are the same: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the store and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the food counter.

La Esquina opened 2 ½ years ago in the former Davis Market, which once served as a neighborhood grocery. The market sells snacks, produce, drinks, candy and other sundry items. But there’s also a lunch counter that serves a variety of authentic Mexican fare.

Reach reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com and follow her on Twitter @NanDeGennaro.

Large umbrellas give shade to the outdoor deck diners at Champy's, or you can dine indoors and still enjoy the outside, as the roll-up doors are open in warmers months. Nancy DeGennaro/USA Today Network-Tennessee